The 863 Magazine - July 2013

J u l y 2 0 1 3

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www.The863Magazine.com 3

www.The863Magazine.com

Letter from the Editor

10 Discover

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6 Apropos of Nothing

5 ThriveTHE SELF Center: Find your bliss and balance your life with spa services, personal development, spiritual classes.

By Donna Kelly

Parenting with the Classics: Local dad Jamie Beckett parents with lyrics no one — not even a baby — can resist.

By Jamie Beckett

A Clinic Without Walls: Local dentist and ophthalmologist travel to Guatemala to treat the indigenous Mayans.

By Andrea Cruz

Get your art on in the 863’s art meccas.

12 Leap: Cover StoryWorld Barefoot Center: Winter Haven is a major destination for world class bare-foot water skiers who train, stay and play.

14 TreasureThe Bates Mansion Tea Room & Art Gal-lery is an oasis of old Polk. Learn how the owner paints watercolors using coffee.

Serve

By Meredith Jean Morris

Welcome all to the first issue of The 863

Magazine, Polk Coun-ty’s newest publica-tion, featuring stories of the people, places, things, and events that make our communities in the 863 truly great. In addition to shining a spotlight on locals who might not get the rec-ognition they’ve earned

— artists, humanitarians, trailblazers, ordinary cit-izens doing extraordinary things — we will also uncover the hidden gems of Polk County so that you can “discover your Polk.” This premier issue features the World Bare-foot Center, which brings worldly visitors to our area, and THE SELF Center, a place where one can get a massage, facial, and then take a self-help class. Our third story is of local doctors who travel to Guatemala to serve the indigenous Mayans. We round things out with an 863 fine art roundup and a quick highlight of the Bates Grove Mansion Tea Room & Art Gallery in Haines City. Be sure to check out the community calen-dar on page 22, too. We invite you to share your stories with us. Let us know if there is someone or something amazing in the 863 that is deserving of a little ink: [email protected].

-Andrea Cruzwww.The863Magazine.com

July 2013 From the Editor

WMagazine, Polk County’s newest publication, featuring stories of the people, places, things, and events that make our communities in the 863 truly great. In addition to shining a spotlight on locals who might not get the recognition they’ve earned

Publisher | SERGIO CRUZ

Editor | ANDREA CRUZ

DEBORAH COKER

Contributing Writers | JAMIE BECKETT, ANDREA CRUZ, DONNA KELLY, MEREDITH JEAN MORRIS

Head Photographer | JODI C. FOSTER

Ad Sales Reps | SERGIO CRUZ,DEBBIE TENNICK

Cover photo: Ben Groen is a world barefoot water skiing champion with World Barefoot Center. Story page 12. Photo credit: www.Fosters-Photography.com

The 863 Magazine is independently owned and produced in Winter Haven, Florida. For more info: www.The863Magazine.com.

Cover Designer |

4 July 2013


Thrive :: Local Center Provides Alternative Healing Options

Just off the hustle and bus-tle of motorists on U.S. 17 in Winter Haven, perched

between a dusty parking lot and serene lake, is an oasis of peace and tranquility offering respite from life’s stressors.

THE SELF Center, owned by mother-daughter duo Phyl-lis Ferguson and Cari MacCo-nnell, offers a wide variety of services and classes designed to soothe and heal the mind, body and spirit, from massage and facials to yoga and tai chi. For those seeking to delve deeper into the self, the center offers life coaching and personal development classes as well as a touch of the metaphysical with intuitive counseling, past life regression, and classes based on various world philosophies. “It’s a place where you can escape the world, learn techniques, and take them out to the world to make it a better place,” says MacConnell. “This is a safe place for healing.” “We picked the name because it is what we want – we want to feed the self,” Ferguson says.

Following Bliss The center’s founders be-lieve in the power of focus. Fer-guson, 60, a licensed massage therapist, life coach, and Reiki

master, was happily working part-time in the wellness arena for 17 years when she decided to follow her dream. MacCon-nell, 38, was settled in the finan-cial planning industry for years and doing massage on the side until she was laid off and forced to reevaluate her life. “I was at a crossroads. I could stay in the industry or fol-low my bliss, so I jumped off with both feet,” MacConnell says. Less than a year ago, they took a class together called “Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity” based on the book, “Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Abundance” by Edwene Gaines.

“The instructor told us to set a goal and we both wrote down the same thing,” Ferguson says. When they were asked what they needed to do first, they both says, “Get a building.” “We literally had a build-ing in three days. It just lined up,” Ferguson says. The duo opened the doors of THE SELF Center on February 1 of this year. “What you focus on is what you get – this has been a real focus,” Ferguson says. It’s a family focus. Ferguson’s son, Steven, is a licensed massage therapist who also works the front desk and attends classes. Carroll Franklin, an in-

structor and intuitive life coach, says Ferguson and MacConnell are the heart-beat of the center. “The Self Center is a col-laboration of these women,” Franklin says. “They both have a desire to offer a wel-coming place to the com-munity that centers on the wellbeing of the whole self.” For Ferguson and Mac-Connell, it is tangible proof of one of their life truths. “Following your faith, fol-

Continued on page 16

To the best of my knowledge, I have been involved in the production of three children.

Truthfully, I’ve never had DNA tests performed to prove that I actually am the father of any children. But my wife assures me these three are mine, and I’m inclined to take her word for it. Relationships are about trust, after all.

As any decent father knows, being a parent is a learning experience. And that learning goes both ways.

My kids have learned a great many things from me over the years. Important things, too. For instance, they learned young that it’s not a good idea to wake dad up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday to ask him which channel SpongeBob is on. They’ve also learned to never end a sentence with the chal-lenge, “and you can’t make me.”

Oh, yes I can. My oldest child was born

when I was a bright, enthusi-astic young man just 25 years old. The next came along a decade later, and the last one showed up at our house when I was just beginning my long, downhill slide to senility. I was forty. If you do the math you’ll see that I had the pleasure and the pain of being legally, emo-tionally, and often physically at-tached to a small person for 15 years straight. Without a break. Not once. Seriously!

When I look back on it, it seems there has always been someone in my house crying,

screaming, complaining, or experiencing an unfortunate event centered around the spill-age of body fluids. But enough about me. Let’s talk about kids. More specifically, let’s talk about parenting kids. Raising them. Keeping them calm, get-ting them to eat, encouraging them to take naps, and may-be even keeping your sanity in the process. For me, the key was found in the classics. And by classics I mean music that was recorded in the 1960s, of course.

This may come as a sur-prise to some, but I am a lead-ing authority on changing dia-pers. Yes, I realize this is an area of waste management that has traditionally be the domain of women. They do a fine job of it, too. In fact, when I was a mere lad living in Arizona, I believe my mother’s preferred method was to leave my brother and me outside in a large, entire-ly natural sandbox until dusk, then tough it out till the morning when we could be relocated outdoors again.

I changed a lot of diapers during my time on dad duty, and in the process I improved on the big Sonora Desert sand-box approach my mom used. Personally, I found salvation in the staccato rhythm of the Beach Boys classic, “Barbara Ann.” You don’t need one whit of musical talent to pull this off, so don’t let having a tin ear dis-suade you. Sing “Barbara Ann” whenever you change your lit-tle one’s diapers. You just start with, “Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-be-rannn, and repeat until the job is done. It doesn’t even matter if you remember the rest of the words. All you need is the Ba-ba part and you’re good to go.

You see, your kids don’t care what you’re singing to them, they only care that you’re singing, and you’re focusing all your attention on them. They love it. In fact, if left to their own devices they’ll make the chal-lenge of dominating your atten-

tion a lifelong pursuit. But that’s a different story for a different day. Right now we’re talking about diaper changes - and let me tell you, having a happy, smiling baby singing, “Ba-ba, ba...” right along with you is a heck of a lot better than having a screaming, kicking, poop ma-chine squirming around on the changing table like a wounded Kingfish on the deck of a rain slicked boat.

At bath time, it was “Rocky Raccoon.” The jaunty tale of a barroom gunfight between two men sparing over the affections of a young lady made for great bath time fun at our house. Prepare for giggling from girls when you get to the part about McGill, who called herself Lil, though everyone knew her as Nancy. If you have sons you might want to consider wearing a raincoat when the gunfight rolls around. I’m just saying – they may become a bit exuber-ant and act out the scene right there in the tub.

Boys are brain damaged. Don’t question it. They just are.

At bedtime, the appropri-ate selection is, “Goodnight” by the Beatles. It’s on the White Album. If you don’t have it, get it. Practice this song religiously throughout the pregnancy pe-riod. It may be the only weap-on you have against a case of sleep deprivation the UN would classify as an illegal torture technique, if it didn’t happen to every third set of parents on the planet.

Good luck to you. If you’re the parent of a small child, you’re going to need it. But then, you already knew that, didn’t you?

Jamie Beckett appears to be an aver-age, everyday guy who just happens to hail from Arizona, Connecticut, New York City, and Central Florida. He wears many hats — pilot, mechanic, writer, politician, musician, stay-at-home dad — often an odd combination of all those things. Frankly, we don’t care. At The 863 Magazine we just keep him around because we think he’s funny. That’s that. www.JamieBeckett.com

6 July 2013

By Jamie Beckettpropos of othingNA

Service for the sake of human-ity – service just because. That is the only agenda for

a rare few who feel compelled to use their skills to alleviate pain and suffering of others and help provide basic necessities of life – no matter where either party calls home.

Five years ago Winter Ha-ven dentist Steven Hewett and his wife, Cara, sought an oppor-tunity to serve in a third world country. Their search led them to a hard-to-reach area in the Guatemalan mountains called Chichicastenango, well-known for having the largest market for woven goods in all of Central America.

With their 13- and 15-year-old children, in addition to 12 dental students from Case West-ern University, they set off on what would be a very memora-ble experience for all. Nobody quite knew what to expect.

“The first time we got there, the clinic doors opened and we were in a makeshift space, basically on a patio with plastic chairs lined up,” Cara Hewett says. “There was a tarp over our heads in case it rained.”

But they made the bare bones environment work. For the first couple of years they set up the clinic, Cara scrubbed instruments. “But then the Ma-yan women who got to know us took the reins on that and learned to assist. They’d scrub instruments and sterilize them in an improvised outdoor sink and pressure pot system,” she says.

With the help of the stu-dent dentists, Hewett’s team saw hundreds of patients a day – they estimate up to 400. Once

word spread that dental care was being offered, long lines formed – 98% Mayan – waiting to be seen.

Up until Dr. Hewett’s team got there, the only dental care provided to the residents were cleanings by a hygienist who hadn’t been properly trained.

“She had watched some-body (clean teeth) in Guate-mala city over a couple of days, then came back and decided she could clean teeth, too,” Cara Hewett says. “And she did a fairly good job of it.”

In the early years, doing fill-ings was a big deal – extractions were more the norm.

“Their sweet, gentle smile, typically with a few missing or decayed teeth, was status quo in their villages,” Dr. Hewett says.Many of the teeth couldn’t be salvaged, Cara Hewett says. “There’s a lot of abscessed teeth, a ton of decay, but what we found each year is that we did more and more restorations, rather than extractions,” she says. In addition to oral hygiene education, a new toothbrush and toothpaste were sent home with each patient. “We would tell them that even if you can’t afford tooth-paste, use salt to get the food off your teeth,” Cara Hewett says. “Educating the Mayans about the process of tooth de-cay and prevention as well as aiding their ability to eat a meal without pain and suffering is my long term goal,” Dr. Hewett says. The funding for a majority of the items the Hewetts brought

to Guatemala – toothbrushes, gloves, gauze, f i l l i ng mate-rial, anesthetics, needles – came out of their own pockets. They received very few material donations from dental compa-

nies. Most groups that travel to help in a third world country go with a church or other organiza-tion, however, the Hewetts went completely on their own. “Because of that there’s no agenda to what we’ve done,” she says. “We provide service just because, we don’t have any motivation or ultima-tums about it. It’s providing care to humans just because they deserve it. It’s just service.” Cara Hewett, a trained counselor, says that their service in Guatemala has been very eye opening for all involved. “Your first world problems suddenly disappear, it totally changes your perception of how you view the world and your perspective on what you really need in your life to live,” she says. The Hewett’s children have also grown from the expe-riences in Central America. “My daughter would just as

Without Walls


Serve :: A Clinic Without Walls

Winter Haven dentist Dr. Steven Hewett works on a Mayan patient in Chichicastenango, a city in the

mountainous region of Guatemala.

Winter Haven dentist Dr. Steven

Continued on page 9

Local Doctors Care for Indigenous MayansBy Andrea Cruz :: Photos provided by Cara Hewett

A Clinic

soon shop at a thrift store be-cause she gets the frivolous-ness of designer shoes,” Cara Hewett says. “Spending four or five hundred dollars on a pair of shoes could put three children in school for an entire year in Guatemala.” Things like education and health care in Guatemala are privileges, not rights, particularly if one is Mayan because they’re considered second class. The Hewetts realize that their altruistic intentions may be controversial as it could be argued that there are many lo-cals who could use this same kind of free dental care. “Anyone who’s ever trav-eled into a third world environ-ment wouldn’t say that,” she says. “We have our basic needs met. There’s not a child in this country whose not granted an education. And if you are in the system of Medicaid, you can be seen. They’re not going to deny you, or turn you around. That is the difference and people need to understand this.” This year’s May trip was dif-ferent – because Guatemalans can’t always get out of their vil-lages, the Hewett’s decided to expand their clinic to an area called Panajachel. They also traveled with Winter Haven ophthalmologist Dr. Gary Schemmer of Fischer, Schemmer, Silbiger & Morac-zewski, who gave eye exams and glasses to the indigenous people. Dr. Schemmer is not new to this kind of service in a third world country, having already set up an eye clinic in the West Indies, specifically St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 12 years ago. Ophthalmology services provided by Dr. Schemmer on the Caribbean island also in-cluded cataract and glauco-ma surgeries, and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (dam-age to the retina caused by complications of diabetes). Dr. Schemmer says that there’s not much that beats

the feeling of giving back. He recalls having done cataract surgery on a patient who was essentially blind and had polio as a child. He was unable to walk, so his grown grandson carried him around like a child,” Dr. Schem-mer says. “The day after surgery his wife was obviously upset about something, concerned he may have had a complica-tion. So, naturally, Dr. Schemmer asked what the problem was. “She explained that he had been singing from the time he left the hospital because he could see again, and she was tired of hearing him sing,” he says. “With that says the patient proceeded to sing me a gos-pel song and thanked me for returning his vision so he could read again.” The doctors hope to return to Guatemala in 4 to 6 months with the help of Mayanfamilies.org, a nonprofit that works to better the lives of the impover-ished indigenous people in the Panajachel region. In addition to expanding the locations, Cara Hewett says bigger things are in the works for their future trips. They are work-ing with Rotary Club of Winter

Haven to get funds for equip-ment. They also took a film crew this year to show at the annual meeting of the American Acad-emy for Implant Dentistry. “We are barely scratching the surface. We need to put a dent in the problems that exist just for the dentistry.”


A Clinic Without Walls, cont. from page 7

Haven to get funds for equip

Above: A young Mayan girl in Chichicastenango, Guatemala.

Below: One of the Hewett’s daughters holds the hand of a Mayan woman.

10 July 2013

Discover :: Fine Art in the 863

Bartow Art GuildDisplays in {Tay’-Cho} and Polk Co. Historical Museum (see below).

{Tay’-Cho} an Art Gallery395 E. Summerlin St., Bartow863-533-2365taycho.com

Polk County Historical Museum100 E. Main St., Bartow863-534-4386

Bartow

Lakeland

FrostproofFrostproof Art League and Gallery12 E. Wall Street, Frostproof863-635-7271

Brooke Pottery 223 N Kentucky Ave.,Lakeland863-688-6844BrookePottery.com

KRaP Art Studios2619 S. Lincoln Ave., Lakeland 863-860-1711KrapArt.com

Polk Museum of Art800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland863-688-5423PolkMuseumOfArt.org

Jackie’s City Hall Art Café621 Ingraham Ave, Haines City863-421-0777

Bates Grove Mansion Tea Room & Art Gallery380 Patterson Rd, Haines City863-206-1443

Haines City

A Taste of Lake Wales207 E. Park Avenue, Lake Wales863-605-0200

Lake Wales

Lake Wales cont.

BSD Galleries208 East Stuart Ave, Lake Wales863-679-2787BenedictSmithDe-sign.com

Bok Tower Visitor Center1151 Tower Blvd, Lake Wales863-676-1408BokTowerGardens.org

Lake Wales Arts Center1099 State Road 60 East, Lake Wales 863-676-8426LakeWale-sArtsCouncil.org

1026 SOFLO Fine Art Gallery & Marketplace1026 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland863-409-7901

Arts on the Park 115 North Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland863-680-2787ArtsOnThePark.org

Black Swan Bazaar 229 N Kentucky Ave.,Lakeland863-510-5980BlackSwanBazaar.com

“Self portrait as Astarte Syriaca after Dante Gabriel Rossetti” by Glenda Losh. 60” x 36”, painted in oil

and encaustic. {Tay’-Cho} and Art Gallery in Bartow.

fine ART in the 863

Winter HavenOtherFlorida Outdoor Sculpture CompetitionDowntown Winter Haven and Lakeland’s grassy areas.

Area City HallsLocal art hangs in various city hall buildings, call ahead.

Polk Art SitesPolkArts.org & PlatformArt.org


Ridge Art Association210 Cypress Gardens Blvd. SW Winter Haven863-291-5661RidgeArt.org

The Loft Art Gallery123 South Kentucky Ave., Lakeland863-409-5771 LoftArtGalleryDowntown.com

Lakeland cont.

Arts Ensemble1000 American Superior Blvd, Winter Haven 863-293-2700ArtsEnsembleHealingArts.com

My Gallery the Art Cottage185 Avenue D NW, Winter Haven863-294-2350

Winter Haven cont.Fine Art in The 863

12 July 2013

For many, going to work involves putting on a certain style of clothes and shoes, to spend the day sitting at a desk or standing behind a

counter in an office setting. This would be considered typical for many

people employed in Polk County.However, there is one group of Polk Coun-

ty workers who prepare for work in quite a differ-ent way.

While they do wear a certain style of cloth-

ing, their work preparation includes taking their shoes off, and their office is among the wind and water of Winter Haven’s many lakes.

Their job is anything but typical.This group of exceptional people includes Keith St. Onge, Gary “Swampy” Bouchard, David Small, Ben Groen and Ashleigh Stebbeings. They are the instructors at the World Barefoot Center, also known as the WBC.

While many locals know that Winter Haven

Keith St. Onge, one of the founders of the World Barefoot Center, demonstrates water skiing on one foot.

Putting their bestFeet Forward

World BarefootChampions

Ski Toward Success

By Meredith Jean MorrisPhotos by Jodi Crawford Foster

is the “Waterski Capital of the World,” they don’t realize that the world’s top barefoot wa-ter-skiers actually come to Polk County to train in the 863 area code year-round.

Furthermore, the WBC world champions are available to teach and coach others of all skill levels — from beginners to professionals.

Located off of Lucerne Park Road, in a residential neighborhood, the World Bare-foot Center is situated on the shore of Lake Conine.

Physically, the center is easy to miss. However, its impact is felt both locally and interna-tionally, in the way that it brings barefoot skiers from around the world to Polk County and pre-pares them to compete in — and often win — world champi-onships.

“Keith started a ski school in Winter Haven back in 2005,” says Swampy Bouchard, a world champion coach with 30 years of experience. “Then, on May 15, four years ago, we got two world champions to-gether and formed the World

Barefoot Center.”St. Onge, 35, is the

trick and slalom ski world champion, a 13-time U.S. national champion and a two-time world cham-pion barefoot skier.

In addition to St. Onge, the other world champion bare-foot skier instrumental in the school’s start was 29-year-old David Small, a native of England, who holds five world champi-onships and is a six-time world jump champion.

“These are two of the greatest barefoot skiers who have ever set foot on the water,” Bouchard says. “And, if you come out here to train or take a class,

you’ll get to work with them.”The purpose of the World

Barefoot Center is two-fold. It is a place for beginners to come and learn how to barefoot wa-terski during a half or full day of training.

“If you come out, we’ll have you out on the water ski-

ing during that day of lesson,” Bouchard says. “We’d start out with some exercises on the shore, then move out into the water in some ski shoes. After that, we’d go barefoot if you were ready.”

The second purpose of the World Barefoot Center is to provide a training facility for professional skiers to work with world champions.

Current instructors Ben Groen and Ashleigh Stebbeings first came to the center to train, and stayed on as staff.

“I learnt about (the World Barefoot Center) at the 2010 World Championships in Germany when I was talking to David Small,” says Stebbeings, a 20-year-old native of Australia and two-time world champion. “He was telling me that I should come out the following year to ski there. I started skiing there in January 2011, and became a member of the team shortly af-ter.”

Groen, 22, had a similar experience.

“I came here to train for Continued on page 19

is the “Waterski Capital of the


Leap :: World Barefoot CenterRetail store at the World Barefoot Center.

Judy Myers, 70, is the oldest competing woman barefooter in the world.

Bates Gr ve Mansion

14 July 2013

Built in 1923 by Henry Bates, a Dutch oil baron from Pennsylvania, the building that is now the Bates Grove Mansion Tea Room & Art Gallery

was his personal residence. Today, the Larsen fam-ily owns and operates a reservation-only tearoom.

Sandwiches, tea, and pastries are the main draw, in addition to the fine watercolor art painted with coffee. Owner Steve Larsen paints

watercolor scenes with cof-fee grounds, diluted to cre-ate different “paint values” of the coffee. Scenes include na-ture, wildlife, dogs, and old Florida, such as the cracker cowboy. Original pieces range from $100 to $5600 and prints from $1 to $100. The artwork of Larsen — who has never had an art lesson — decorates the mansion and is plentiful in the gift shop, which was once the piano room of Henry Bates’ daughter. The building itself still retains much of the original architecture, including cast iron light fixtures, huge solid oak doors, double Dutch doors and 13-foot ceilings. It was said that the house, which has 5000 square feet under the roof, was the first to have indoor toilets in Haines City. Mr. Bates had the sweeping hardwood staircase torn out and rebuilt three times before he was satisfied with it.

Photos by Andrea Cruz

Tea Room & Art Gallery


Treasure :: Bates Grove Mansion

The tearoom hosts luncheon meetings, bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, children’s tea parties, and reunions. Party reser-vations for the tearoom can be made through the art gallery. An afternoon of “high tea” will include scones and jam, a pot of tea, a tier with sandwiches and desserts for $13 per person. Parties of 6-40 can be accommodated.

Cottage baked goods are made to or-der and include scones, biscotti, lemon cookies, meringues, madeleines, lavender shortbread, petit fours, and artisanal bread. The tearoom is available Tue - Sat: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. It is located at 380 Patterson Rd., Haines City. For more info contact 863-206-1443 or visit BatesGroveMansion.Weebly.com.

16 July 2013

THE SELF Center, cont. from page 5

lowing your bliss, does work,” MacConnell says.

Mind Opening ExperiencesFranklin, a retired emer-

gency room nurse, taps into her Native American ancestry and her intuition to offer intuitive counseling, past life regression, meditation, and animal totem classes. She also leads Full Moon and Native American medicine wheel ceremonies.

“Relationships are kind of my specialty,” Franklin says. “It’s using my intuition and the person there to see things that might help them grow.” Coun-seling sessions are relaxed and private.

“I just feel the person’s energy and start talking. It is liter-ally just having a conversation,” says Franklin, who trained at the

Arthur Ford International Acad-emy of Mediumship in Miami. “Whatever they need will just come out.” Franklin guides clients in discovering behavioral patterns, such as repeatedly picking out the same type of incompatible mate. “It is good to see the kind of things you’re doing over and over so our souls can heal. It’s so freeing when you see some-thing you’ve always carried and realize you don’t have to do that anymore,” she says. “I think there are a lot of fractured souls out there.” Past life regression is a guided meditation that walks a person back to another time and place to help her deal with an issue causing a struggle in the present.

“I take it back like it is a movie. It’s like see-ing another side of your-self,” Frank-lin says. “It’s going back to help you deal with w h a t e v e r is happen-ing in your life now.” Other class-es, taught by various instructors, include Free

Phyllis Ferguson, left, and Cari MacConnell are the owners of THE SELF Center in Winter Haven.

Thinking: Life Beyond Spiritual-ity; Communicating with Spirit Helpers; Reiki, a form of energy healing using spiritually guided life force energy; numerology, the study of numbers to reveal the future or hidden information; guided meditation; and Soul Group, a gathering to discuss various topics. New classes are continu-ally added to the schedule and are repeated upon request. Former librarian Phyllis Brinson not only gets regular mas-sages at The Self Center, but she attends every class she can. She began with a Sage-ing – or posi-tive aging – class when her late husband became ill. She quickly began attending classes about Reiki; stones and crystals; and Chakras, a Hindi tradition based on energy sources in the body. It changed her life. “I met this wonderful group of people I didn’t know existed. I started seeing all of these different things. Without that I wouldn’t have been able to handle the deaths of both of my husbands,” says Brinson, a 67-year-old Winter Haven resi-dent. THE SELF Center has be-come Brinson’s sanctuary. “It’s very calm and peace-ful. It just helps you through your week. All you have to do is come in and sit on the sofa with the girls and talk,” says Brinson, whose al-lergies and asthma have disap-peared since applying principles learned at the center.

“When you let your mind rest and relax with the class-es, all the busy hustle and bustle problems in the world are their problems not yours.” The secret to THE SELF Center is the caring with which healing techniques are shared and applied.“As long as we are on this earth there is something to learn. We all have our own stories and something we learned,” Franklin says. Getting the VIBE Instructor Tara Wohlrabe collectively


exercises the mind, body, and spirit in her VIBE class using guid-ed meditation, breathing tech-niques, and toning exercises.

Wohlrabe, a 30-year-old certified trainer through the Aer-obics and Fitness Association of America, designed the class to fill a need in her own life during

Ferguson, left, and MacConnell perform Reiki, the laying on of hands to heal affected life force energies.

Steven Ferguson performs deep tissue massage on a client.

a time she was working 50 to 60 hours a week and stress was be-ginning to take its toll on her.

The class begins with breathing exercises to clear the mind, relieve stress, and gain focus. Then there’s 25 minutes of working on the body to high energy music

with basic strength and toning movements for all the major muscle groups. Mind, body, and spirit are pulled together at the end with a guided meditation. VIBE is suitable for all age groups and doesn’t re-quire weights or equipment other than a yoga mat. “It’s not for those who want to want to kill them-selves with exercise for an hour,” Wohlrabe says. “It mixes exercise with the spir-itual component they won’t get at a gym. There’s no reli-gious base at all, it’s just very spiritual and open.” Wohlrabe says many peo-ple are leery of meditation and don’t know how to use it. “People sort of fear what they aren’t familiar with. Just come and check it out and you will find a lot of really

warm, kind-hearted people. They (Ferguson and MacCon-nell) had the opportunity to get

together and share things that are really good for this area,” Wohlrabe says. “These are guid-ed meditations, so they are just ways to relax.” THE SELF Center is a place of learning, says Wohl-rabe, where people learn about themselves and how to lead a balanced life. THE SELF Center is locat-ed at 2750 Hwy. 17 North in Win-ter Haven. For more information visit www.TheSelfCenterHealing.com or call 863-875-5635.

THE SELF Center, cont.

LaSertoma is an international organization founded in 1951 to promote friendship, fel-lowship and extension among its members;

also to aid, assist, support educational and philanthropic enterprises and endeavors.

LaSertoma is an acronym for “Leaders in Service to Mankind.” The mission of LaSertoma is: To enhance the lives of all persons and to promote youth and education through public awareness as we strive to be “Leaders in Ser-vice to Mankind.” The Winter Haven Area La-Sertoma was started by 31 ladies in 1983. The International office headquarters are in Day-ton, Ohio.

The group meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at St. Johns United Method-ist Church, located at 1800 Cypress Gardens Blvd. in Winter Haven.

Monthly meetings include cultural, infor-mative, and interesting programs. Funds are raised through endeavors such as Pumpkin Patch, Poinsettia sales, Ghoul’s Night Out, Pe-can sales, Tasters Tea, White Elephant sale, and a rummage sale.

Monies raised are donated to Camp En-deavor, Family Emergency Services, Aluminum Can Tops, Box Tops for Education, Salvation Army, Prescription Drug Bottle Program, Friends of the Library, Cancer Resource Room, and Blood Bank. In addition, LaSertoma members donate their time and services to these orga-nizations.

Winter Haven Area LaSertoma will be cel-ebrating its 30th birthday on August 1, 2013 at 7 p.m. at Lake Bess Golf Club Clubhouse, lo-cated at 218 Golf Aire Blvd. in Winter Haven. The public is invited.

For more information or to attend a meet-ing, visit www.WinterHavenLaSertoma.com or email [email protected].

18 July 2013

Non-profit Spotlight: LaSertoma

six weeks, and then I came back for two months to train for the world championships,” says the New Zealand native. “After that, I never left.”It’s not unusual for barefoot ski-ers from around the globe to visit the World Barefoot Center for training.

“At any given time, we have people training here from other countries,” St. Onge says. “I think that’s what I’d like locals to know about us. We’ve trained teams from France, New Zea-land, Germany, Finland and Great Britain. People from all over the world come here to train and come here to stay. We bring a lot of visitors into the area to stay, eat in the res-taurants and shop.”

The ski-ers stress the unique aspect of the World Barefoot Cen-ter that regard-less of skill level, anyone training will have the opportunity to learn from the top skiers in the sport.

“I would encourage (anyone interested) to come and check WBC out,” Stebbe-ings says, “because not only are the two world champion co-owners going to be instruct-ing you, but we all put our heart and soul into each and every individual that comes through the school so that they are able to get the absolute most out of their skiing and time down at the school. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, there is something for everybody at the

school.”Groen puts it well.“Where else can you

go and train with the best in the sport?” he asks. “It’d be like learning to play basketball from Michael Jordan. You’re learning how to ski from the world’s best — here in Winter Haven.”

For details about the World Barefoot Center, visit www.WorldBarefootCenter.com or call 863-877-0039.


World Barefoot Center, cont. from page 13

From left: Keith St. Onge, Ben Groen, Judy Myers, Gary “Swampy” Bouchard, and David Small.From left: Keith St. Onge, Ben Groen, Judy Myers, Gary “Swampy” Bouchard, and David Small.

20 July 2013

Your Stuff :: 863 Readers’ Art

Digitally-enhanced photography by Carla Hodges of

Lakeland. Self taught, Carla

does not use lenses or filters. She finds inspi-ration in the works of Mario Giacomelli.

“ G i a c o m e -lli had a poet’s eye for the startlingly abstract order man can impose on na-ture, and a poet’s understanding of the great disorder that is the human condition.” Hodges lives with

her husband and two boys in Lakeland.

Got art? Send your poetry or images to [email protected].

“Promenade” Lake Mirror in Lakeland

“Consequences” - Hollis Gardens

“Jagged Pink Lady” - Bok Tower

“Paint My World Blue” Unripened blueberries at Bok TowerFacebook.com/IllustratingLifeArt


Elmo & Linda’s 353 3rd Street NW,

Winter Haven10% Off 1 Check

Save money at these businesses by either mentioning you saw them in The 863’s No-Cut Coupon page or use your smart phone to check in to the location on a social media website like Facebook or Foursquare. Restrictions may apply. No-Cut Coupons from this issue expire July 31, 2013.

Four Purls Yarn Shop331 3rd Street NW,

Winter HavenFree Knitting Class

Il Forno Italian3615 S. Florida Ave,

LakelandAsk for Daily Special

Tsunami Sushi317 West Central Ave,

Winter Haven10% Off Dine In Only

El Norteño1925 6th St. NW, Winter Haven

Free Bead Dip / Party

Outback Steakhouse170 Cypress Gardens Blvd.,

Winter Haven: Free Blooming Onion w/ Two Entrees

Foster’s Photography525 Ave B NW Winter Haven

$10 Off Any Session

Performance Tire304 Avenue E SW,

Winter HavenCall for Special

Mention or Check-In!

Tell ‘Em The 863 Sent You!

22 July 2013

Explore :: July’s Happenings in the 863

All July

FJuly 3: Rock N’ Freedom Fest City of Winter Haven’s Independence celebration on Lake Silver. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. For more info: 863-291-5656 or MyWinterHaven.com.

FJuly 4: Lake Wales 4th of JulyOn the shores of Lake Wailes. Festivities start at 2 p.m.; fireworks start at 9:30 p.m. For more info: 863-678-4182.

FJuly 4: 4th of July Mass CelebrationFun Day for families and friends in the community to display their patrio-tism on the 4th of July. Mosaic Park, Bartow. 2:30 - 10:15 PM For more info: 863-533-7125 or BartowChamber.com.

FJuly 4: Thunder on the RidgeAnnual celebration includes fireworks, vendors, and entertainment. Lake Eva Park (799 Johns Ave.) in Haines City. For more info: 863-421-3700.

FJuly 4: Fireworks at the City BeachAuburndale. 9 p.m. For more info: 863-965-5545.

FJuly 5: First Friday: “Heritage Festival” Celebrate the history of Downtown Lakeland, Polk County and Florida. Downtown Lakeland. 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.For more info: 863-510-9723 or Down-townLakelandFl.com.

FJuly 6: Antiques Arts & Oddities Downtown Lake Wales, in Market Square between Park and Stuart Avenues. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Antiques in Toyworld Coffee Shop on Park Avenue also. For more info: 863-412-6960.

FJuly 6: Cruisin’ Winter Haven Classic Car Show in downtown Winter Haven, 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. For more info: 863-291-5656 or MyWinterHaven.com.

FJuly 10: August 12: Ridge Art Arti-san Market - Twenty plus local artists display their artistic wares. Ridge Art Association, 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven. Mon - Fri. 12:30 - 4 p.m. & 1 hour before all Theatre Winter Haven performances. For more info: 863-291-5661 or RidgeArt.org.

FJuly 11: Thursday Squared Food Truck Rally - Around Munn Park, down-town Lakeland, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. For more info: 863-510-9723 or Downtown-LakelandFL.com.

FJuly 12: Praise in the ParkLocal church bands will be performing in Central Park, downtown Winter Ha-ven. 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. For more info: 863-291-5656 or MyWinterHaven.com.

FJuly 13 & 27: Lake Wales Downtown Farmer’s Market - In Market Square between Park and Stuart Avenues, downtown Lake Wales. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. For more info: 863-412-6960.

FJuly 13: Family Fun Day at the History Center - Family activities at the Polk Historical Museum (old courthouse). 100 East Main Street, Bartow. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. For more info: 863-533-7125 or BartowChamber.com.

FJuly 19: Main Street Friday Fest Tow Jam - Food and vendors down Main Street, Bartow. 6:00 - 10:30 p.m.For more info: 863-533-7125 or Bartow-Chamber.com.

FJuly 20: Spring Lake Plaza Fresh Goods & Crafts Market - More than 50 vendors, including produce, local artists, live music. Spring Lake Plaza parking lot: Havendale Blvd. and US Highway 17 intersection in Winter Haven. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. For more info contact 863-258-3561.

FJuly 20: Cypress Gardens Water Ski show - The Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team perform a 40-minute show reminiscent of shows previously held at Cypress Gardens. MLK Jr. Park on Lake Silver, Winter Haven, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. For more information: 863-224-9350 or visit MyWinterHaven.com.

FJuly 20: Live at the Gardens: New Groove City- Salsa Jazz concert inside the Bok Tower Gardens Visitor Center.Concert Only: $20 / Concert & Dinner: $40. A prepaid dinner will be served at the Blue Palmetto Café. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. 1151 Tower Blvd, Lake Wales

For more info contact 863-676-1408 or BokTowerGardens.org.

FJuly 26: Dulcimer Night - Play the dulcimer or just want to listen? Dulci-mer players are welcome to join in and everyone is welcome to listen to this beautiful instrument. In Central Park in downtown Winter Haven, 5:30-7 p.m. For more info: 863-291-5656 or MyWin-terHaven.com.

FJuly 31 - Saturday, August 3 New to You Children’s Consignment Sale. Winter Haven Garden Center, 715 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven. Times vary; check website for hours: NewToYouFL.com.

F A Silver Lining - Polk Museum of Art: Perkins Gallery. This exhibition will show-case PMoA’s collection of Georgian silver, which refers to the period of the consecutive reigns of four English kings. Museum summer hours: Tue. – Sat., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more info: 863-688-5423 or PolkMuseumofArt.org.

F Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: Master of Ukiyo-e Polk Museum of Art: Ledger and Mur-ray Galleries. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839 – 1892) is widely regarded as the last great master of the ukiyo-e tradition in Japanese printmaking. Museum sum-mer hours: Tue. – Sat., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more info: 863-688-5423 or PolkMu-seumofArt.org.

F C. Paul Jennewein: An Usher for a New American Style - Polk Museum of Art: Dorothy Jenkins Gallery and Gallery II. C. Paul Jennewein (1890-1978) was a highly regarded American architectural sculptor of the mid-20th century. Museum summer hours: Tue. – Sat., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more info: 863-688-5423 or PolkMuseumofArt.org.

Send Your Community Event to [email protected].

The 863 Magazine - July 2013

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Transcript of The 863 Magazine - July 2013